Auribus Teneo Lupum *Dramione*

Chapter Eleven

Hermione stared off into space, the warmth of the room helping her mind wander. She was vaguely aware that there were people coming and going, along with cries from several newborns.

She glanced down at her own, surrounded with a bubble of magic that helped her little lungs develop. The healer had told her that within a few weeks she daughter should be ready to go home, but looking down at the tiny girl she couldn't help but wonder how.

"Madam Malfoy?"

She blinked and looked up at the concerned face of the mediwitch that had been with her from the beginning. "Sorry, I was lost in thought."

The woman patted her shoulder. "It's quite all right, dear."

Hermione gave her a grateful smile before turning back to her baby.

"Dear, why don't you go home for a bit? This little one will be in there for a few more hours."

"Oh, no, I'm all right." She looked up at the woman and tried not to flinch at the sharp look she received.

"Now, Madam Malfoy, you need to be taking care of yourself. You've been here ever second of the day unless your sleeping, and you're not doing enough of that. I remember what it's like to see your little one going through so much, but you have to keep yourself healthy if you want to be there for her. Healer Malfoy is running himself absolutely ragged and it seems like his wife is trying to do the same."

Hermione sank in her seat, knowing the wise older woman's words rang true. In the weeks following the her daughter's birth both her and Draco had been running on fumes. It didn't help that this was her husband's second week back to work, so she felt like she had to be a big enough presence for the both of them.

"Now, run on home and relax. Don't worry about anything dear, I'll let Healer Malfoy know where you've gone if he comes by."

Had it been anyone else making the suggestion she would have shrugged it off, but this mediwitch has been in her shoes over a decade ago and knew exactly what she was talking about. She didn't want to leave, but the look on the older woman's face left no room for arguments.

"I won't be away long."

The older woman simply patted her shoulder. "Stay away until she can come out of the healing bubble."

This was a conversation that they had at least once a week, whenever Hermione looked like she was ready to drop but refused to leave her baby. It's how she learned that Martha, the older mediwitch, had a baby fifteen years ago. Stella, as the baby had been named, was born three months early and required even more treatment than her little one needed. It's through her conversations with Martha that she had begun to feel like this would soon be over and things could go back to normal.

Whatever normal was for her, anyways.

A week after the birth the wizarding news had caught on and had been waiting for both her and Draco whenever they left the hospital. They crowded into the main lobby, where the floo network was set up, and hounded them at every turn. The hospital tried to banish them, but it didn't seem to work, so they had to start using the floo in the healer's lounge. It had actually only been set up for a direct connection to the ministry, for whatever reason that was, but the hospital had added her and her husband's home to the connection.

She wanted to find her husband before she left, wanted to see him and feel his reassurance, but they had both been so busy and stressed that she rarely saw him as of late. They had begun sharing his bed when she was released, but he usually went to sleep much after her and was up before her as well. It was almost as if a wall had popped up between them and she hoped it was only the situation that made it that way.

Once home she went straight for bed, only shedding her pants before climbing in and snuggling underneath the ample covers.

She was still asleep when Draco made his way into the room, stopping in the doorway to take in the sight of his wife sleeping.

He had come up to see how things were when the mediwitch had informed him that she had sent his wife home and that he should be taking a rest with her. He had tried to argue, but his boss had come up behind him and agreed with the older woman. He had reluctantly agreed and made his way to the healer's lounge to floo home.

Truth be told, he worked so much because when he wasn't bone weary with exhaustion he couldn't get his daughter off his mind. He keep seeing her laying there, looking so fragile, and it nearly broke him. He wanted to be strong for his wife, but the past little while had been taking a strong toll on him.

He moved into the room and undressed before pulling back the covers and climbing in. He rolled to his side and pulled the sleeping Hermione to him, giving her a kiss to the top of her head. She murmured and rolled over, her eyes opening and going to his.

"I think we were both sent home to rest." He said quietly, smoothing a hand over her curls.

She stared up at him before giving him a tired smile. "I've missed you."

He froze before sighing, "I've missed you too".

She snuggled farther into his arms and he in turn wrapped them tighter around her. He realized that in his effort to take his mind off of everything that he had also not given enough of his time to Hermione. It hurt him to realize how selfish he had been and how it must have seemed to her.

"I'll do better. I promise I'll do better."

She opened her eyes again and looked up. "Just hold me and help me know that it's all going to be okay."

"That I can do. No matter what happens, it will all be okay in the end. I'll do everything in my power to make sure it is."

That seemed to be what she needed, because her eyes welled up with tears before she buried her face in his chest and cried. He held her, rubbing soothing circles on her back until she stopped, falling into what seemed to be a deep sleep. He shut his eyes and did the same.